GB2515825A

GB2515825A - Ramp side gates for livestock transport container

Info

Publication number: GB2515825A
Application number: GB201312111A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Wharton
Original assignee: Ifor Williams Trailers Ltd
Current assignee: Ifor Williams Trailers Ltd
Priority date: 2013-07-05
Filing date: 2013-07-05
Publication date: 2015-01-07
Also published as: GB201312111D0

Abstract

A container 10 having ramp side gates 20,30 each connected to the container by a hinged side member 22, 32 which both hinges for swinging action and pivots for vertical action, so that when loading ramp 40 is lowed the free end members 21,31 connect with the ramp side rails 42. The ramp side gates contain a second hinge 24, 34 which creates the 2 part gate, the potentially narrower auxiliary part 26, 36 and the potentially larger main part 28, 38. The auxiliary part may make up between 10% and 20% of the length of the entire gate. The first part of the folding gate may be between 0.25m and 0.5m and the main part of the gate may be between 2m and 2.5m. There is also a claim for a live stock container which has the double part ramp gates as described above.

Description

Ramp side gates for livestock transport container

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention concerns livestock transport containers, which may be installed directly on an automotive vehicle, or more commonly may be on a trailer towed by a powered vehicle.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Virtually all livestock trailers have ramp side gates. Typically these are hinged on both sides of the rear opening and the length of each, when folded closed occupies the full length of the rear opening. In other words they fully overlap each other when closed. By mounting the hinge points on one side slightly ahead of the hinge points on the other side the gates are able to overlap. When open they extend down respective sides of the rear ramp and stop animals jumping or, less likely falling, off the ramp. The rear ramp itself, being hinged along its bottom edge folds up behind the ramp side gates when they are closed to effect secure closure of the container.

[0003] Sheep are usually carried on two levels in a livestock trailer: the trailer floor and a "sheep deck" suspended approximately half way up the trailer sides. The top deck is loaded first and then the floor level (lower deck). A rear portion of the upper deck is typically pivoted towards the front so as to be able to tilt down towards the rear opening and connect with the top of the main ramp. When the last of the top deck sheep are loaded on to the sloping rear deck a barrier is closed behind them and the rear portion of the deck is hydraulically lifted to the horizontal position, level with the rest of the sheep deck, where it is locked in position. The lower deck can then be loaded with sheep.

[0004] As the farmer is loading the rear of the top deck the sheep are being driven up a slope and, seeing nowhere to go, are inclined to double back. Once one doubles back others are inclined to follow. The farmer has to defend over the full width of the opening. With the experience he inevitably gains this is possible providing the width of the opening does not exceed a comfortable arm-span, say 1.5m. However a heavy livestock trailer is 2.5m wide with a rear opening width of approximately 2.2m, so defence against animals doubling back is actually very difficult.

[0005] Very few trailers are built to carry only sheep. The vast majority that can carry sheep can also carry cattle. When carrying cattle the unwanted sheep deck might be folded up against the side of the trailer or raised and stored against the roof, and any internal ramp might also be stored against the roof of the trailer.

[0006] An object of the invention is to provide a more defensible opening for loading livestock without providing an unwanted restriction to unloading cattle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0007] The invention provides ramp side gate for a livestock container having one side edge adapted for hinged mounting at one side of the container rear opening for swinging motion side to side to open or close said opening, and also adapted for pivotable mounting, also at said one side of the container rear opening, for pivoting motion up and down so as to be able to contact ramp side edge regions when the gate is open, characterised in that the gate is foimed as two parts which are connected by a hinge which extends substantially parallel to the aforesaid hingedly mountable side edge, thus defining an auxiliary gate part between said hinge and said hingedly mountable side edge and a main gate part between said hinge and the other side edge of the gate, which in use will be the free (distal) side edge, so that in use, selectively, either the entire gate (both parts together) may be opened or only the main part of the gate may be opened.

[0008] By putting a second hinge in parallel to the main hinge in each of the ramp side gates, each gate therefore comprises two hinged parts, one or both of which can be opened, i.e. the outermost main part can be opened separately or both together. Suppose, for example, the rear opening of the livestock container/trailer is 2.2m wide so that the full length when open, or width when closed, of the ramp side gates is also 2.2m. If the second hinge is positioned 0.35m from the conventional first hinge connecting each gate to the container/trailer, and, during loading that outer 0.35m is left closed, then the opening at the top of the ramp is reduced to a manageable 1 Sm.

[0009] Moreover with the outer ends of the ramp side gates opened to their fullest extent, i.e. the full width of the main ramp, a funnelling effect is created to further assist loading sheep.

However the entire gate, auxiliary part as well as main part, can still be opened to allow full length of 2.2m for loading and unloading of cattle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The invention will be described further, byway of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial perspective view showing a preferred practical embodiment of a livestock container fitted with ramp side gates in accordance with the invention in a gate open condition for loading a top deck with sheep; Figure 2 shows the same container also in a gate open condition, for loading a bottom deck with sheep; Figure 3 shows the same container in a gate closed condition when a deck is deployed; Figure 4 shows the same container without the deck in use in a gate open condition for loading cattle; and Figure 5 shows the same container in a gate closed condition when a deck is not deployed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] As shown, a preferred practical embodiment of a livestock transport container 10 has respective ramp side gates 20, 30 mounted by hinged side members 22, 32 at respective sides of the rear opening 12 of the container 10. When swung into position to close the opening 12, as shown in figures 3 and 5, each of the gates 20, 30 occupies the full length of the opening 12.

This is achieved by one of the hinged members 22, 32 being mounted slightly in front of the other in the direction of travel of the container. Each of the gates 20, 30 is provided with a second hinge, at 24, 34, which subdivides the gate into a narrow auxiliary part 26, 36 between the second hinge 24, 34 and the conventional hinged side member 22, 32 and a longer main part 28, 38 between the second hinge 24, 34 and the free end members 21, 31 of the respective gate.

[0012] As shown in figures 1 and 2, this construction enables the main part 28, 38 of both gates 20, 30 to be opened while the respective auxiliary parts 26, 36 remain in their closed disposition! thus narrowing the opening 12 and creating a funnel like arrangement for ushering livestock into the container 10.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the length of each of the auxiliary gate parts 26,36 may be about 0.35 m and the length of each of the main gate parts 28, 38 may then be about 1.85 m in the case of a rear opening 12 having a total open length of 2.2 m. Thus, with both auxiliary parts 26, 36 remaining closed, the opening will be narrowed to 1.5 m but the open ends 21, 31 of the gates 20, 30 may still be opened to the full extent of the loading ramp 40 so that at the lower end of the ramp side gates, when deployed as in figures 1 and 3, the open length is still 2.2m.

[0014] In figures 1 and 2 the gates are shown in exactly the same disposition with the main parts 26, 36 of the gates opened to their fullest extent possible for engagement of the lower ends of their free end members 21, 31 with side rails 42 of the ramp 40 in customary manner.

However, figure 1 shows the interior of the container with an internal ramp 43, which is a rear part of an intermediate deck 44, deployed as for loading sheep into the upper compartment provided above that deck 44. A cross division 45 closing off the front part of the deck 44 is shown in figure 1. Figure 2 shows a barrier 46 closing off the rear end of the deck 44, the rear part 43 of which has been raised to horizontal condition so the arrangement here is for loading sheep into the lower compartment below the deck 44.

[0015] The hinged members 22, 32, are mounted to the sides of the opening 12 in a manner which allows pivoting upwards and downwards as well as swinging side to side of the gates 20, 30 and this permits the ramp side gates to slope downwards to contact the sides of the deployed ramp 40 as shown in figures 1 and 2 as well as figure 5. As already noted, free end members 21, 31 of the gates 20, 30 locate in side rails 42 of the ramp 40 when the gates 20, 30 are opened.

[0016] Figures 4 and 5 show the comparable arrangement when the container 10 is used without a deck 44 for transport of cattle. In this case, those of the gate parts 26, 36 and 28, 38 are opened to contact the side edges of the ramp 40 so that there is a full opening of 2.2 m throughout the extent of the ramp, as required for moving larger livestock into and out of the container.

[0017] In these figures 4 and 5, respective upper and lower cross divisions 45, 47 are visible inside the container 10.

[0018] The invention is not restricted to the precise details of the illustrated embodiment and variations are possible. Indeed, the respective lengths of the auxiliary part and the main part of the gate may vary in other embodiments of ramp side gates within the scope of the invention.

[0019] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and contain" and variations of them mean "including but not limited to", and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other components. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

[0020] Features described in conjunction with a particular embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims and drawings) may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features andlor steps are mutually exclusive.

The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying drawings).

Claims

CLAIMS1. A ramp side gate for a livestock container having one side edge adapted for hinged mounting at one side of the container rear opening for swinging motion side to side to open or close said opening, and also adapted for pivotable mounting, also at said one side of the container rear opening, for pivoting motion up and down so as to be able to contact ramp side edge regions when the gate is open, characterised in that the gate is formed as two parts which are connected by a hinge which extends substantially parallel to the aforesaid hingedly mountable side edge, thus defining an auxiliary gate part between said hinge and said hingedly mountable side edge and a main gate part between said hinge and the other side edge of the gate, which in use will be the free (distal) side edge, so that in use, selectively, either the entire gate (both parts together) may be opened or only the main part of the gate may be opened.
2. A ramp side gate according to claim 1 wherein the main part of the gate is of greater length than the auxiliary part of the gate.
3. A ramp side gate according to claim 2 wherein the length of the auxiliary part of the gate is between 10% and 20% of the length of the main part of the gate.
4. A ramp side gate according to claim 2 wherein the length of the auxiliary part of the gate is between 0.25m and 0.5m and the length of the main part of the gate is between 2.Om and 2.5m.
5. A livestock transport container having a rear opening and having respective ramp side gates hinged to respective sides of the opening for swinging motion to open or close said opening and also pivotally mounted to respective sides of the opening for pivoting motion up and down so as to contact ramp side edge regions when the gate is open, characterised in that each gate is formed as two parts which are connected by a hinge which extends substantially parallel to the aforesaid hinged side edge of each gate, thus defining an auxiliary gate part between said hinge and said hinged side edge and a main gate part between said hinge and the other side edge of the gate, which is the free (distal) side edge, so that, selectively, either the entire gate (both parts together) may be opened or only the main part of the gate may be opened.
6. A livestock container having ramp side gates according to claim 5 wherein each of said gates has an overall length (main and auxiliary parts together) sufficient to span the entire rear opening when the gates are in their closed condition.
7. A livestock container having ramp side gates according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the main part of each gate is of greater length than the auxiliary part of each gate.
8. A livestock container having ramp side gates according to claim 7 wherein the length of the auxiliary part of each gate is between 10% and 20% of the length of the main part of each gate.
9. A livestock container having ramp side gates according to claim 7 wherein the length of the auxiliary part of each gate is between 0.25m and 0.5m and the length of the main part of each gate is between 2.Om and 2.5m.
10. A ramp side gate for a livestock container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11. A livestock container having ramp side gates substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.